Do you think Benford will have a better record in 2013-14?

[Harry]

Taking into account the signings thusfar (Voss, Armani, Vaughns) who we lost and who we have coming back and the new conference do you see the record better or worse in 2013-14?

[golfingomez]

seems like it would be really hard to not have a better record... sure... he will be 14-18 next year

[MeanGreenTexan]

Taking into account the signings thusfar (Voss, Armani, Vaughns) who we lost and who we have coming back and the new conference do you see the record better or worse in 2013-14?

Last time people prognosticated an upcoming season the only variable was the coach. Everyone was lining up on the 22-26 win season...

Now, there are huge variables in replacing players, including the best player to ever lace up in Mean Green and the unquestioned leader in the locker-room. Huge losses.

We're replacing them with guys that are not from around here (Lets at least hope Peters comes through), and Vaughns who may have some familiarity with Chris & Jordan from way back in their HS days.

We all know what we got last year.

Will this year be better? Doubtful, but who the heck knows.

[Eagle61]

Now, there are huge variables in replacing players, including the best player to ever lace up in Mean Green and the unquestioned leader in the locker-room. Huge losses.

Kenneth Lyons, John Savage, Joe Hamilton, Lee Winfield (just to name a few) didn't play a game last year.

[GrandGreen]

Now, there are huge variables in replacing players, including the best player to ever lace up in Mean Green and the unquestioned leader in the locker-room. Huge losses.

Kenneth Lyons, John Savage, Joe Hamilton, Lee Winfield (just to name a few) didn't play a game last year.

You are definitely right, Mitchell may be the best athlete to play bb at NT but he was far from the best player. He would even have some tough competition for the best athlete label.

Last year was awful, it is entirely possible that next year could be a better team with a significantly improved record. I think it depends on how much Benford can grow as a coach. Jones and Alzee Williams are potentially going to be very good. Last year almost everything turned bad, hopefully NT will get more breaks next year.

[UNT90]

< 10 wins.

[Green P1]

I think they'll probably play a little better but lose as many or more games. Even with coach Benny at the helm it's gotta be impossible for every single player on the roster to regress or show no signs of improvement two seasons in a row... right?

[THOR]

i think he wins more...last year sucked donkey things, but it was his first year as a head coach...i learned a crap ton in my first year of teaching that made me much better the following year...i'm hoping this is what will happen for benford...then again...who knows...

[rws69]

One thing Benford reminded us that we lost shooting guards early last year. Now, he thinks he has enough strength at guard that he may play four guards at times. He expects significant improvement at guarding against threes. Personally, I expect more of a TEAM attitude with TM gone.

[Harry]

One thing Benford reminded us that we lost shooting guards early last year. Now, he thinks he has enough strength at guard that he may play four guards at times. He expects significant improvement at guarding against threes. Personally, I expect more of a TEAM attitude with TM gone.

Chemistry is the key. I just never felt that the team jelled last year. Injuries were a part and yes (cue UNT90) Benford's job is to make that happen so he must shoulder some of the blame as well..

[untjim1995]

Yea it may be hard for McCarney probably will not win 10 games this year...

Andrew, you probably would've been wise to let this one play out without posting...you know, just like every thread you post on.

[oldguystudent]

THOR, on 07 May 2013 - 09:44, said:

my first year of teaching

And suddenly, I understand the drinking.

[Eagle61]

By contrast, after 5 seasons, Johnny was 63-78. Second season was a 7 win season. He inherited our 2nd all-time leading scorer, Chris Davis. And Dexter. The cupboard wasn't bare. Trilli was a pretty good recruiter. And please, no "best team ever", that has been mentioned about 1000 times here. I know it will be mentioned by one poster, but I have him blocked, so at least I won't see it there. I make no claims or comparisons, just facts.

One thing I will say for sure was that Benford inherited the "most hyped team ever".

And one other thing. I haven't seen anything but mediocre in either basketball or football since Blakely and Fry. Sometimes it rises to "good mediocre", but still mediocre. 15 or 16 seeds aren't good teams. And I still go to all the home games and listen to the away games

000-01 Vic Trilli 4-24 1-15 (6th)*

2001-02 Johnny Jones (LSU, ‘85) 15-14 8-7 (4th)*

2002-03 Johnny Jones 7-21 2-13 (6th)*

2003-04 Johnny Jones 13-15 8-8 (3rd)*

2004-05 Johnny Jones 14-14 6-9 (T4th)*

2005-06 Johnny Jones 14-14 6-9 (T4th)*

2006-07 Johnny Jones 23-11 10-8 (3rd)*!

2007-08 Johnny Jones 20-11 10-8 (3rd)*

2008-09 Johnny Jones 20-12 11-7 (2nd)*

2009-10 Johnny Jones 24-9 13-5 (1st)*!

2010-11 Johnny Jones 22-11 8-8 (4th)*

2011-12 Johnny Jones 18-14 9-7 (4th)

[Andrew]

Andrew, you probably would've been wise to let this one play out without posting...you know, just like every thread you post on.

I did just fine until people like you come on.... I had plus 3 and now when I get home home negative 5. Go figure... At the same time there were only maybe 5 "no we will lose more games" votes... I think we can all tell who the negative people are just by their comments. Funny how some people can find it funny and plus one but then others with a miserable, negative, sarcastic attitude can come on and bring their misery into these boards.

[GrandGreen]

By contrast, after 5 seasons, Johnny was 63-78. Second season was a 7 win season. He inherited our 2nd all-time leading scorer, Chris Davis. And Dexter. The cupboard wasn't bare. Trilli was a pretty good recruiter. And please, no "best team ever", that has been mentioned about 1000 times here. I know it will be mentioned by one poster, but I have him blocked, so at least I won't see it there. I make no claims or comparisons, just facts.

One thing I will say for sure was that Benford inherited the "most hyped team ever".

And one other thing. I haven't seen anything but mediocre in either basketball or football since Blakely and Fry. Sometimes it rises to "good mediocre", but still mediocre. 15 or 16 seeds aren't good teams. And I still go to all the home games and listen to the away games

000-01 Vic Trilli 4-24 1-15 (6th)*

2001-02 Johnny Jones (LSU, ‘85) 15-14 8-7 (4th)*

2002-03 Johnny Jones 7-21 2-13 (6th)*

2003-04 Johnny Jones 13-15 8-8 (3rd)*

2004-05 Johnny Jones 14-14 6-9 (T4th)*

2005-06 Johnny Jones 14-14 6-9 (T4th)*

2006-07 Johnny Jones 23-11 10-8 (3rd)*!

2007-08 Johnny Jones 20-11 10-8 (3rd)*

2008-09 Johnny Jones 20-12 11-7 (2nd)*

2009-10 Johnny Jones 24-9 13-5 (1st)*!

2010-11 Johnny Jones 22-11 8-8 (4th)*

2011-12 Johnny Jones 18-14 9-7 (4th)

JJ inherited about as bad a basketball program that ever has existed. Yes, Chris Davis was a great player and Hopkins was good, both holdovers from early Trilli recruiting that missed a lot of time with medical issues. Not sure what Dexter you are referring to. I'm really not sure last year was over hyped, based on the potential of that club. Based on the results, it definitely was; but don't forget why there was so much hype. At that time, NT had a player who was considered a lottery pick, a pg returning that led the conference in scoring and assists when he became disqualified. Plus a host of others that should have been better than they were.

I see absolutely no comparison with what Benford inherited and what Jones did. Now if you want to talk about what JJ inherited versus next year teams there a lot of parallels. Both are coming off horrible years with bad coaching and have a couple of good players but not much else.

I just don't get a lot of posters now that seem to believe that last year's team was just over hyped and most of us were just foolish to believe that the team was much better than it was. I can buy that to the extent that NT was not a top 25 or even 100 program, and thinking that they were was perhaps unrealistic. However, last year's team when from being a slightly above average Belt team to one of if not the worse in the league last year. Lofty expectations didn't make this team worst than the prior year.

[Eagle61]

One of Trilli's recruiting classes was rated about 20 - 25 in the nation. Jhonny won 15 with them. How many games did you see then? If you don't know who Dexter is, you don't know that time period.

[THOR]

And suddenly, I understand the drinking.

Hahaha...possibly....but I love what I do....the teaching and the drinking!

[GangGreen]

One of Trilli's recruiting classes was rated about 20 - 25 in the nation. Jhonny won 15 with them. How many games did you see then? If you don't know who Dexter is, you don't know that time period.

If you are referring to Dexter Tannell (sp?), he was long gone by the time JJ was our coach. Also key players in that class, Deginald Erskin and Jason Miller, had already transferred to Texas and Oklahoma St.

Chris Davis was the only one left from that class, if I remember correctly. But, maybe I don't remember that time period. So, to say JJ started off with Trillis highly ranked class is completely false.

How many games did I see then? Season ticket holder. Watched em all.

Edited May 8, 2013 by GangGreen

[CMJ]

The great recruiting class that Trilli had was before he ever coached a single game at NT. The longer he was in Denton, the more the losses piled up, and the worse his recruiting got.

JJ's first season was miraculous after the Trilli debacle (20-87 people...20-87!!). His second year was bad, even accounting for our (numerous) injuries, but his first year had been so good, he had a lot of money in the good will bank. He meandered around .500 after that for a few years. That good feeling account was starting to run out right around the time he had his breakthrough team & got his first Tournament Title.

Given how poor our basketball history has been, I have no idea why anyone is trying to talk down about the Johnny Jones years. It was the longest run of sustained success we have ever had.

[untlynchka1]

It has to be better than last year. I was one of the many who had egg on our faces after promoting how good we were gonna be, but injuries did kill us last year.

We gotta hope for better overall guard play, and outside shooting. Plus another year of emphasis on d, and hopefully it will pay off. (Right?)

Really hope that Tj is the real deal, j will takes yet another step, and Cj too, but mostly that he stays healthy.

Gotta be an optimist guys, that's what keeps us going. Kinda like it was being a rangers fan before their run, a Mavs fan before dirk, and a cowboys fan since '06. It's all we have to cling to.

When it finally goes right, it's the greatest payoff of all!!

[Army of Dad]

The great recruiting class that Trilli had was before he ever coached a single game at NT. The longer he was in Denton, the more the losses piled up, and the worse his recruiting got.

JJ's first season was miraculous after the Trilli debacle (20-87 people...20-87!!). His second year was bad, even accounting for our (numerous) injuries, but his first year had been so good, he had a lot of money in the good will bank. He meandered around .500 after that for a few years. That good feeling account was starting to run out right around the time he had his breakthrough team & got his first Tournament Title.

Given how poor our basketball history has been, I have no idea why anyone is trying to talk down about the Johnny Jones years. It was the longest run of sustained success we have ever had.

Because if they run down Johnny then it makes bumford more acceptable. Stupid position, but some people are willing to twist the truth to fit their argument.

[UNTFan23]

The things about this upcoming season is that I don't have any expectations. That way if we have another year like this past one, I won't feel the urge to be jumping off any bridges.

[GrayEagle]

Here is an alphabetical list of Trilli's last and best team:

Wes Allen

Kyle Crawford

Chris Davis

Deginald Erskin

Sam Funches

Brandon Gilbert

Tyler Helwig

Bryan Lucas

Kenneth Mangrum

Unjel Masters

Jason Miller

John Mulvaney

Dexter Tennell

Calvin Williams

Davis, Erskin, Mangrum, Miller, Tennell, and Williams were exceptional players. Had JJ been able to talk Erskin and Miller into staying, North Texas basketball history could have improved greatly. Erskin did very well at Texas and Miller so-so at Okie State. Tennell, in spite of averaging more than 30 points his senior year in high school, stayed in Trilli's doghouse and was a dud. Davis was one of our better players ever and Mangrum and Williams were way above average. I also thought that Masters had possibilities.

That team had more potential than the team that Benford inherited but defections really hurt. I realize that injuries did adversely affect last year's team but those that did play had poorer statistics than their previous year in most cases. Extremely disappointing.

[Eagle61]

I make no claims or comparisons, just facts. (from my previous post)

I wasn't running down the JJ era. I agree, it was our best ever from a competitive standpoint within our conference. We had about 3 good teams under Spika, in a conference that just overmatched us, and Blakely had 3 good teams. We were ranked #20 for a short time. and that's all since I came to NT in 1961. I think Johnny would have had about the same record with last year's team considering the player losses. Tony was the same player under both coaches.

[UNTFan23]

I make no claims or comparisons, just facts. (from my previous post)

I wasn't running down the JJ era. I agree, it was our best ever from a competitive standpoint within our conference. We had about 3 good teams under Spika, in a conference that just overmatched us, and Blakely had 3 good teams. We were ranked #20 for a short time. and that's all since I came to NT in 1961. I think Johnny would have had about the same record with last year's team considering the player losses. Tony was the same player under both coaches.

How do you know JJ would have had the same results? Do you have a machine that allows to jump between parallel universes or something?

I'm not sold JJ would have had similar results with last year's team. We made it to the conference tournament finals the year before when we were missing two star freshman plus nagging injuries.